Council Procedure Rule 10.6 provides for questions by any member of the Council to the Leader, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or any Portfolio Holder, without notice on:
(i) reports under item 6 above; or
(ii) any other matter of a non operational character in relation to the powers and duties of the Council or which affects all or part of the District or some or all of its inhabitants.
Council Procedure Rule 10.7 provides that answers to questions without notice may take the form of:
(a) direct oral answer from the Leader or, at the request of the Leader, from another member of the Cabinet;
(b) direct oral answer from the Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or, at their request, from another member dealing with that issue as part of an Overview and Scrutiny review;
(c) where the desired information is in a publication of the Council or other published work, a reference to that publication;
(d) where the reply cannot conveniently be given orally, a written answer circulated later to the questioner; or
(e) where the question relates to an operational matter, the Leader, Chairman of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or a member of the Cabinet will request that a response be given direct to the questioner by the relevant Chief Officer.
In accordance with the Council Procedure Rule 10.8, a time limit of twenty minutes is set for questions. Any question not dealt with within the time available will receive a written reply. The Chairman may extend this period by up to a further 10 minutes to ensure that all political groups and independent members may have their questions answered.
Minutes:
(a) General Practitioner Consortium
Councillor Murray drew attention to the changes in the PCT arrangements and the NHS. He asked the Leader of the Council if she had any information in relation to the possibility of health-related companies taking over local health trusts.
Councillor Collins said that she currently had no information regarding the financing of the new arrangements but pointed out that the Council had always had a very good relationship with its local GPs and she expected this to continue.
(b) Manor Road, Chigwell – Pedestrian Crossing
Councillor Knapman thanked the Operational Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder on behalf of Chigwell residents for pursuing the provision of a pedestrian crossing on Manor Road, Chigwell although it was disappointing that the cost of the scheme had taken the matter outside of the control of the Local Highways Panel.
Councillor Stavrou, Operational Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder assured the Council that although this matter had been referred to the County Council she would continue to press for a satisfactory outcome.
(c) Education in the Epping Forest District
Councillor Murray asked the Leader of the Council if she could give any advice to the Head Teachers of local schools, particularly secondary schools, which despite Government assurances that they would not be affected by the Comprehensive Spending Review now faced substantial cuts of up to £200,000 in their budgets.
Councillor Collins stated that this was a matter of great concern but suggested that in order to keep more young people in education there needed to be improved standards locally, particularly in relation to the grades being achieved for English and Maths. She advised that some students attending the College had only achieved Cs in non-academic subjects and that this made it very difficult for the College to get them to a level for obtaining A levels. She drew attention to the Council’s successful participation in the Future Jobs Fund and advised that steps would be taken to build on the opportunities for apprenticeships which appeared to be the only area in which there was likely to be an increase in Government funding.
(d) Business Rates
Councillor Jennie Hart asked the Leader of the Council if she agreed that the new proposals for the retention of business rates by local authorities would lead to the current financially sound authorities becoming even better off.
Councillor Collins advised that she understood the new proposals would result in Central Government giving more grant to the less well-off areas and reducing the grant payable to other areas. As a result she did not agree that those areas less well off at present would suffer from the new proposals.
(e) Local Schools – Special Measures
Councillor Knapman asked the Leader of the Council if she shared his delight that no school in the Epping Forest District or in the County of Essex was currently in special measures.
Councillor Collins agreed that this was very good news.
(f) Off-Street Parking Programme
Councillor J M Whitehouse asked the Housing Portfolio Holder what progress was being made in relation the off-street parking works which had been agreed and had been the subject of a recent tendering exercise. He also asked when the re-assessment of the criteria in relation to the outstanding list of identified sites would be undertaken.
Councillor Stallan advised that he was not sure about the timescale for undertaking the schemes which had been the subject of the recent tendering exercise. He confirmed that there would be a re-assessment of the criteria in relation to the outstanding list of identified sites as agreed by the Housing Scrutiny Panel. He agreed to keep Councillor Whitehouse informed about progress in relation to both matters.